Combined switch and lightning-arrester.



No. 703,980. Patented July 8, I902. w. J. BELL.

COMBINED SWITCH AND LIGHTNING ARBESTER.

(Application filed my. 26, 1902.

(No Model.)

wuewbo c m M M dam/m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. BELL, OF BARABOO, WVISCONSIN.

COMBINED SWITCH AND LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 703,980, dated July 8,1902.

Application filed March 26,1902. Serial No. 100,053. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. BELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baraboo, in the county of Sauk and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Switch andLightning-Arrester, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lightning-arresters-t'. 6., means for removingatmospheric electricity from telephone and other wires with a view ofpreventing injury to the instruments; and it has for its general objectto provide a peculiar and advantageous combined switch andlightning-arrester calculated at all times to effectually prevent heavycharges of atmospheric or other electricity from passing from theline-wire of a telephone system to a telephone instrument.

With the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood fromthe following description and claims when taken in con junction with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of somuch of a telephone system embodying my improved switch andlightning-arrester as is nec essary to illustrate the utility of thelatter, the lever of the combined device being illustrated in a positionto effect electrical connection between the line-wire and theinstrument. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the lever of the switch andarrester in position tointerrupt the connection between the line-wireand the telephone; and Fig. 3 is a detail transverse section taken inthe plane indicated by the broken line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of.the views of the drawings, referring to which- A is the line-Wire of atelephone system; B, a conductor leading from a contact-piece C to atelephone instrument D; E, a carbon plate mounted on rubber F orotherwise suitably insulated and electrically connected by a wire G orother suitable means with the ground, andH a lever, preferably of metal,which, in conjunction with the carbon plate E, connected with theground, constitutes my improved combined switch and lightningarrester.The said lever is electrically connected with the wire A, andconsequently it will be seen that it will effect electrical connectionbetween the wire A and instrument D when it is in the position shown inFig. 1 and interrupt such connection when it is in the position shown inFig. 2. On its arln remote from the contact-piece O the lever isprovided with a carbon portion E. This latter rests close to the carbonplate E, as best shown in Fig. 3, when the lever H is in the positionshown in Fig. l and also when said lever is in the position shown inFig. 2. By virtue of this it will be observed that irrespective of theposition of the lever H any heavy charge of atmospheric or otherelectricity received by the wire A will be conducted through the leverH, carbon portion E, carbon plate E, and wire G to the ground, and henceeffectually prevented from shunting across to and injuring theinstrument D. It will also be observed that incident to the movements ofthe lever H to make and break connection between the wires A and B thecarbon pieces E E will be cleaned of any sub.- stance left thereon bythe previous passage through said pieces of a heavy charge ofelectricity. From this latter it follows that the said carbon pieceswill always be in condition to prevent a heavy charge of electricityfrom shunting across to the instrument, which is an important advantage.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction andrelative arrangement of parts embraced in the present and preferredembodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exactunderstand ing of the same. I do not desire, however, to be understoodas confining myself to such specific construction and arrangement ofparts, as such changes or modifications may be made in practice asfairly fall within the scope of my claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. In a combined switch and lightning-arrester, the combinationof theline-wire of a telephone or other electrical system, an instrument, acarbon plate electrically connected with the ground, and a movabledevice for making and breaking electrical connection between theline-wire and the instrument;

the said device having a portion of carbon,

movable in close proximity to the carbon plate.

2. In a combined switch and lightning-ar- 5 rester, the combination withthe line-Wire of a telephone or other electrical system, and aninstrument; of a carbon plate electrically connected with the ground,and a lever for making and breaking electrical connection be- 10 tweenthe line-Wire and the instrument; the

said lever having a portion of carbon movable over the carbon plate,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- H5 nesses.

WILLIAM J. BELL. Witnesses:

IVAN A. EVANS, RosE A. ENNIS.

